PRESS ASKED TO SAFEGUARD DEMOCRACY

Madikeri March 1

Speaker K.G.Bopaiah called upon the press to protect democracy as it is the main stay of the Indian constitution.

K.G.Bopaiah was addressing the gathering taking part in the platinum jubilee celebration of KUWJ at Madikeri yesterday. He opined that the values of democracy will stay balanced till the field of journalism maintains balance. He regretfully said that people talk a lot about their rights and never wish to learn about their responsibilities in the society. Press should bring awareness about the responsibilities of the citizens in a democratic country. He asked the press to indulge in healthy criticism and also to correct the citizens while the right of expression is misused.

MLA Appachu ranjan inaugurated the function and said that the policticians will correct their mistakes if the newspapers point out at their mistakes. He said that the rports should be unbiased and near to truth.

President of the state KUWJ, Sudhindrakumar addressed the gathering and said that the next state conference would be held at palace grounds, Bangalore. He regretted that complaints are being heard about journalists in some places and it should be rectified. He said that the government has released rupees 12.5 lakhs to Kodagu journalists association for the purpose of the building and up to rupees twenty five lakhs was released to many other district associations.

President of the editor’s guild, G.Rajendra spoke on the occasion said that the bus coupons issued to journalists are not accepted in Volvo busses and the government should issue passes at fifty percent reduction. Information and Publicity officer Vinodh Chandra addressed the gathering and said that the focus of any news in the media should be in the direction of development. District association president C.N.Somesh presided over the function. Treasurer of KUWJ, Lokesh Kumar was on the dais.

Meanwhile, K.G.Bopaiah was felicitated on the occasion.

SIX ARRESTED FOR THEFT OF COFFEE

Police have arrested six persons in connection with the theft of coffee and seized four vehicles in this connection.

Siddapur police arrested an estate writer Kadyamada Navin and five others on charges of thieving sixty bags of coffee from the estate belonging to Padmini Thimmaiah, taluk Panchayath member in her absence three months ago.

The accused used lorry, auto, a maruthi van and a jeep to illegally transport coffee and sold it. All the vehicles are confiscated.

PROTEST AGAINST POWER CUT;

MD ASSURES 20 HR POWER

Organisations led by Deshapremi Yuvaka Sanga and Jayakarnataka today held a procession in the town and staged a protest against KPTCL/ CHESCOM against the unscheduled power cut in Kodagu.

Whole of Kodagu plunged in darkness throughout the night yesterday crippling the activities and tuning electric gadgets useless.

CoC president G.Chidvilas addressed the gathering and urged the KPTCL and CHESCOM to come to agreement and provide uninterrupted power to Kodagu. He alleged that unless the above two unit’s strikes balance, power cannot be supplied regularly.

Arun Shetty of Deshapremi Yuvaka Sanga and Prasanna Bhat of Jayakarnataka spoke and condemned the unprecedented power cut.

Meeting the protestors, the executive engineer Laxmipathy told that the Chescom Managing Director has assured to release power for twenty four hours to Kodagu.

The protestors said that they will hold dharna in front of the EEs house every day if they fail to keep up promise.

Meanwhile, MD Govinda Swamy visited madikeri and held a meeting with the Deputy commissioner ashwathnarayana Gowda and departmental officials.